


Brightest Smiles

by 264feet



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Character Study, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Love, M/M, Past Character Death, Pokemon Battles, Reincarnation, Slight Canon Divergence, Trans Kibana | Raihan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:00:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25475773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/264feet/pseuds/264feet
Summary: In a past life, Raihan was killed by Eternatus during the Darkest Day. As Eternatus's return approaches, his memories of the incident start to come back. And his boyfriend, Leon, seems to know more than he lets in on... | Request for bellchimes
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan
Comments: 4
Kudos: 57





	Brightest Smiles

“Eternatus!”

The shout pierces the black sky and turns the dragon’s attention toward the woman. Even in the eye of the legendary beast, frigid raindrops stabbing her like needles, she stands proud.

The dragon’s aura radiates off it like lightning and strikes another Pokemon, causing it to grow ten times its size. Dynamax Pokemon dominate the skyline as they run mad with power. Castles and cities crumble like sand beneath them.

People scream and flee in every direction, heads craned toward the sky as if praying for one last chance to see the Sun. Their sobs are cut short as the ground itself tears open and swallows them whole.

Eternatus’s red aura bathes the woman in the only light of the Darkest Day. Her body crackles with energy as if she carries an electric current. If this is even a sample of what the Pokemon feel, no wonder they’re frenzied. It takes her self-control to hold onto her mind. The ring on her finger grounds her and reminds her of why she’s fighting.

“This isn’t the only solution, Eternatus! There’s got to be another way!”

Her husband had thought her mad when she spontaneously declared she would reason with it. She had countered that it’s the most sane solution when the world has succumbed to madness. They have no means of fighting it- not with most Pokemon uncontrollable- and Eternatus only wants to live, just like them. It’s why it began to feed on the energy of the world. Without waiting for further arguments, she ran into the weather to confront the beast.

Eternatus rears back and lets out a roar that nearly knocks the woman off her feet. Her husband catches up and tugs hard at her hand. “We need to get out of here! We’re evacuating!”

“This is our home,” she says, calm but firm. She raises her voice again. “Eternatus, can you hear me? You’re not just a beast! You’re not a creature that needs to succumb to its base instincts! It’s not too late for you to stop!”

She swears for a moment that it doubts itself. It had either been Eternatus’s own life and the life of the world, and in a moment of weakness, Eternatus made its choice. Its lucidity must be returning, right? It must see how its devastating the world it calls home.

And she gets her answer when Eternatus gathers its breath and fires upon her. So she had been wrong. The last thing she remembers is her husband screaming. He refuses to leave her behind, but other people evacuating drag him as the ground quakes. Her eyes flutter closed and--

* * *

\-- Raihan wakes up.

Sweating, cold, shivering, but he’s awake. He’s not in the rain. He’s not in the dark. His eyes dart from side to side to scan the room. He settles on the figure sleeping next to him.

Leon. His boyfriend. He’s safe. They’re both safe.

Raihan sits up in bed and rubs his face. The motion causes Leon to stir. “Rai?”

The sun shines through the window, warm on Raihan’s back. The morning air is filled with birdsong. Leon sits up and yawns.

“Did you have that dream again?” Leon asks, putting a hand on Raihan’s shoulder. His fingers are tough and calloused from training. It’s a warm and comforting presence for Raihan to focus on as he catches his breath.

Raihan cracks a smile. "That dream? About walking into the championship battle and I've got no trousers on?” he jokes. "It's a real doozy. At least I'd still look good."

"It'll be a good look when I beat you in battle again while you're just in your boxers, sure," Leon teases. He leans in closer, wrapping his arms around Raihan's chest. Raihan can feel Leon's smile fade. "For real though, Rai. It was the bad one, wasn't it?"

Raihan stares down at his hands. "Can't keep anything from you, huh? It was the one about dying."

Leon squeezes his boyfriend tight. Raihan sighs and leans back into the embrace, letting himself be held by Leon's strong arms.

"It's just a bad dream. I've got you. I won't let anything happen to you," Leon reassures him.

"I don't think it's 'just' a bad dream." After he speaks, Raihan feels Leon's muscles tense. "I don't think most people get the same bad dream almost every night. Or dream with such perfect clarity about being someone else and dying. Being killed by..."

Damn, the name just eludes him. In the dream, the woman shouts the name of the beast several times. She knows what it is, but once Raihan regains consciousness, it slips as if he's trying to grasp a shadow. E? Eternity?

"... some massive beast. I think it means something."

When Raihan finishes speaking, there's silence. Raihan listens to the birds singing outside. Leon’s jaw is clenched in a way it only is when he’s thinking hard.

"What do you think it means?" Leon finally asks, as if testing him.

"I don't know, Lee," Raihan says, exasperated. "That's probably why it keeps happening. It's like there's something I'm supposed to do, but I don't know what... or how."

This time, Leon doesn't say anything back. He presses a kiss to the crown of Raihan's head. Sometimes, Raihan feels like he's not just viewing the world from that woman's eyes, but it's as if he was that woman. He reaches back as if to brush his long hair, only to realize he doesn't have long hair; even before his transition, he kept it short.

As the woman dies in that dream, she looks back at her husband's face with love and longing. Raihan tilts his head so he can see Leon's face and his heart beats faster.

His relationship with Leon may look strange to an outsider. To the world, they're bitter rivals. That much is true; Raihan still trains tirelessly for the day when he can defeat Leon and become the new Champion. But in private, they're deeply loving. Sometimes Leon can be overly protective over his rival, to the point where Raihan has pulled him aside and asked him if something happened to him in the past. Leon never answers, he just apologizes for being overbearing. But then the cycle repeats.

There's something that Leon's not telling him. He doesn't know what it is, though, and it's exhausting. Leon is one puzzle piece that looks like it should fit with the puzzle piece that's Raihan's recurring dream, but it doesn't fit no matter how much he tries.

"Feeling any better yet?" Leon asks, eventually. He's still holding Raihan, but he's begun running his fingers gently through his boyfriend's hair.

"I'm getting there," Raihan hums.

Oh, well. If he can't figure it out now, then he can't figure it out. For as much as Leon can be an open book sometimes, he's good at guarding the secrets he does have. Maybe when Raihan wins the upcoming championship, Leon will have no choice but to spill his secrets.

"Sleep in a little longer with me." Leon pulls away from Raihan, leaving him feeling cold. He lays back down in bed. "You don't have to get to your gym until later, right?"

Tempting... but Raihan rises, making Leon let out a little whine. "Yep, but I need to get ready now, babe. I need to look good for your little gym challengers. I'm going against the ones you endorsed, yeah? Hop and...?"

"Gloria," Leon says with a nod. "Don't go easy on them. They're tough kids."

“Tougher than you?” Raihan grins.

“Guess we’ll see, won’t we?”

Raihan gets dressed. He peels off the old clothes he uses as pyjamas, grinning as Leon lets out a low whistle. He puts on his binder and underwear, then gets to the difficult task of selecting an outfit.

“Oh, to be like you and wear the same thing every day,” Raihan sighs overdramatically.

“They say that geniuses like Professor Oak have a wardrobe full of the same outfit. Saves their brainpower for making more important decisions.”

“You need all the brainpower you can get to find your way out of your own house each day.”

Raihan laughs and ducks under the pillow that Leon throws at him. This is where he feels comfortable. It’s not that he can’t get emotional with Leon, it’s just…

The more he questions the nightmares, the worse they get. It’s easier to just ignore it.

* * *

The dream is completely out of Raihan's mind by the time he stands across from his first challenger of the day. His dragons are pumped up and ready.

As he battles, his mind wanders. He'd been asked in interviews before why he chose dragon as his personal type to train. He made a game out of changing the answer slightly each time. Usually he would say something along the lines of 'because they're ferocious like me', or another tongue-in-cheek answer about them being the strongest type.

In reality, he couldn't explain it. He just felt drawn toward them. Ever since he was young and picked Charmander as his starter, he imagined soaring through the sky with dragons as their master.

Dragons’ fearsome reputation only increased his interest; they had the worst reputation out of all the types for their capability to harm their trainers. Legends told stories of dragons terrorizing towns that had to be stopped by heroes. The idea of coming face-to-face with a rampaging beast like that and taming it excited Raihan.

No Pokemon is an out of control monster. All it takes is patience, love, and strength, and then they'll work happily with their trainers. Like with any Pokemon, there's always the potential for there to be a mistake and for the trainer to get hurt, but Raihan hasn’t let it happen yet.

"Let the winds blow! Stream forward, Sandstorm!" he commands, snapping his focus back to the battle. He feels his blood pumping hard in his veins as a thick sandstorm kicks up in the arena.

 _"So, Raihan, you utilize weather effects the most out of the Galar gym leaders,"_ an interviewer had asked him once. _"In particular, you utilize sandstorms and harsh sunlight. What drew you to that particular strategy?"_

And each time, Raihan feels rain like frozen needles stabbing his skin, staring up at a draconic creature that brings destruction on the world. The storm force winds howl in his ears, but his shout is louder. Black clouds have gripped the sky and blotted out the sun.

Dragon types have a great sense of pride, and if they think their trainer isn't deserving of them, they're likely to challenge them. Training a dragon means needing a soul as strong as the storm without losing control.

When he was a child, he tackled every challenge head-on. It’s why he and Leon became natural rivals, usually leaving poor Sonia to clean up their messes. Yet he had two terrible fears: the dark, and thunderstorms.

The former was easy to deal with. Charmander always provided a source of light. The latter, though, left him feeling helpless. Just the sound of thunder could leave him curled up under the bed with his Charmander cuddling him for support. Leon would crawl under the bed with him, back then, his own Charmander adding additional warmth. His rival would never mock him, just hold him and reassure him until the skies had cleared again.

 _“I wanna show you a cool move I learned,”_ Leon had said during one thunderstorm, eagerly. _“My Charmander’s got it down pat! Sunny Day!”_

Raihan smiles.

When he had answered the interviewer, he had given a generic answer. _"There's no use in just charging recklessly head-on. You can topple foes that are a hundred times bigger and stronger than you when you've got Mother Nature on your side. But when you have it against you…”_

"Earthquake!" Raihan commands. The ground itself fractures, but Raihan doesn't lose his footing. The chaos is like a symphony to him. When he recalls his Pokemon and calls forth his Gigantamax-- it's like his pulse reaches a crescendo. The giant that towers over him could destroy him in a second, but it doesn't; it obeys Raihan's command, avoiding harming him due to their strong bond of trust.

It's all about strength. Even when Leon's endorsed challengers defeat him, he still looks good. He takes several pictures for the occasion. At first they had been to remember the pain of loss, and then he begun taking more and more. There’s beauty in loss, but there’s beauty in so much more of life.

Is he vain? Well, sure. But there feels like there's something deeper. When he looks through his photos, it feels like something's missing.

He just doesn't know what it could possibly be.

* * *

Leon stands in front of his dressing room mirror, staring himself in the eye. He adjusts his cap for- Raihan has been counting- the ten thousandth time.

Raihan rises from the chair he's been sitting incorrectly on, in increasingly bizarre ways, and slings his arms around Leon's shoulders. "Babe. Relax. It's not gonna matter how your hat looks when a kid kicks your butt, anyway."

He snorts. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Rai."

"That's what I'm here for."

All joking aside, Gloria had been an exceptionally strong challenger. She and her Inteleon worked in perfect harmony, communicating as if through a mental link; Raihan rarely saw that kind of connection between a trainer and their Pokemon. It's as if it came naturally to her.

That would just be fitting if some child prodigy usurped Raihan's role and beat Leon, wouldn't it? In the back of his mind, Raihan wonders if it will be better that way. Not having to defeat Leon himself means less conflict between the two of them.

Usually, Raihan doesn't mind a friendly amount of conflict. That's what their relationship had been founded upon. But lately, something had been off with Leon, and Raihan worries about straining things worse. Even as he makes his usual loving jabs at his boyfriend, Raihan feels as if he's checking different parts of Leon's body for a hidden wound by poking them.

Leon's too damn stubborn to just admit if there's a problem. So Raihan decides to try a different angle. "She sure loves Pokemon, huh?"

"Almost as much as I do," Leon replies. He's finished fiddling with his hat and proceeds to adjust his ridiculous cape. Raihan will definitely have to re-invent the look of Champion when he wins-- or help Leon redo his wardrobe when he loses.

People usually assume that Leon's fearless. They think that he would be out minutes before the final match squeezing in a few last bits of training. In reality, Leon can worry quite a bit. On days where he would have to battle to defend his title, he got in his training early in the morning, then would spend the rest of the day worrying and making sure just every part of his appearance was perfect.

It might seem vain (not that Raihan minds vain), but Raihan's aware of how heavily the Champion title can weigh on Leon. Whether or not they realize it, people depend on him. He's the face of Galar. He represents the stability and their vision of the future. If he were afraid, what would that mean for Galar?

Right now, he's terrified.

Raihan traces his fingers down Leon's jaw and rests them at his chin. He turns Leon's head slightly to the side so he can kiss him. It's oddly reserved for him.

"I was joking earlier," Raihan admits. "I don't know how it will go, sure. But you're the Unbeatable Champ, and don't I know that well enough? You'll get out there and do great as always."

"Huh? Oh, in the match?" Leon asks. "Right."

Raihan quirks a brow. That makes it sound as if what Leon had been worrying about wasn't the match that was coming up in- Raihan checks his phone- 8 minutes.

Time for a more direct approach. "Lee, can I be honest with you?"

Leon raises up those gorgeous gold eyes to look at Raihan's reflection in the mirror. What could be tearing him up on the inside? Half of Raihan wants to console Leon, half wants to slap some sense into him.

"You're going to blow the match if you're distracted," Raihan says. "I know that's not even what's on your mind. Can you just tell me what's going on?"

A part of Raihan wonders if he pushed it too far. Leon sucks in air through his teeth.

"Nightmares," Leon finally admits.

"Yeah? You're wearing your shorts," Raihan reassures him.

Leon rolls his eyes, smiling a bit. "It's not that." Then the smile fades. "It's nothing major. They're just weighing on my mind."

"Do you want to talk about them?"

Silence. Raihan squeezes Leon in his arms. "Hey. I'm your rival and your boyfriend. You know you can tell me anything."

"I'm afraid of losing you."

The sudden candor makes Raihan's eyes widen. He rests his chin on Leon's shoulder, burying his face into the crook of Leon's neck. "I'm not going anywhere. You aren't either, I'm guessing."

The boyfriends relax in the embrace for a moment. Raihan loves Leon's scent. Some of the tension seemingly evaporates from Leon's body, but his back is still rigid. It's times like these that Raihan almost wishes he was a Psychic-type trainer so he could misuse his abilities to know just what's on Leon's mind.

"If something happened to me, I'd want you to be able to move on," Leon says, suddenly. His voice is soft. "I know it would be devastating. Trust me, I could feel it."

"Feel it?"

"Well..." Leon doesn't answer. "Just keep that in mind. Be safe, and if anything happens--"

"Nothing's going to happen. We're two of the strongest trainers in Galar," Raihan says. "So long as we're together, nothing's strong enough to pry us apart."

At that moment, a league staffer knocks on the door. It's time for the battle. "Nothing except for scheduling," Raihan sighs, pulling back. He leans down to give Leon a peck on the lips. "Good luck out there."

"Going to have a Champion time!" Leon says, already adopting his stage persona.

"Uh-huh." Raihan checks his phone. "Can you find your way out of this dressing room? I think if you're 15 minutes late, Gloria legally is the new Champ."

"Of course I can!" He walks to the door.

"That's a closet, Lee." Raihan rests his arms behind his head. "We already came out of there, remember?"

"You're funny." Leon finds the door proper this time.

"I'm hilarious." Raihan follows close behind him, ready to cheer for his boyfriend (and partially for Gloria to beat him-- can't a rival dream?). "I'm your funny guy, and that's not changing."

Raihan's sure of that. He's far too stubborn for Leon to shake him off, even if he wanted to.

The only thing that would really stop him is if he died. As if that would happen.

* * *

Raihan had once thought that Leon was the biggest drama queen in all of Galar. Turns out it was Chairman Rose the whole time. Interrupting Leon's Championship match so he could unleash an apocalypse? Truly some next level drama.

Chaos erupts in the arena. Built on top of a power spot, people flee in terror that Pokemon could Dynamax out of control. The gym leaders react quickly and order evacuations of their own cities due to their gyms also built on top of power spots.

All the while, a sudden pain has started throbbing in Raihan's head. It started as a pinprick, but the longer he stares up at the black sky, the worse it gets. The only thing missing is the rain-- well, that and the massive beast that consumes the skyline. Rose has that covered, though.

The headache must be due to the stress or the cacophony of the fans being evacuated from the stadium, Raihan reasons. He can’t dwell on his nightmares when he needs to help save the people of Galar.

_The Darkest Day began when the beast erupted from the Earth as if ripping a wound in it from which to drink its life force; it acted not out of malice, but fear, and the woman thought she could just calm it down--_

He clutches his head. Leon, Gloria, and Hop had been right off to stop the situation. If they’re fighting hard, he needs to as well.

The public isn’t sure how to react to Rose’s apparent betrayal. Raihan had previously been aware of Rose being not quite the benevolent figure the public thought him to be. After Leon's meetings with him, he never seemed quite as if his head was on his shoulders correctly. Benevolence only exists to the degree profit allows it in this world.

The most infuriating part had been that there hadn’t even been much time to question his boyfriend before he ran off to play hero again. Leon ran up to Raihan, grabbed him and kissed him forcefully as if for the last time. Raihan knew Leon wasn’t stupid enough to get himself killed, but damn if he wasn’t reckless.

_“The safest place you can be is by my side,” Leon said. “Come with me.”_

A League staff member runs up to him. “Leader Raihan! Reports of Dynamax Pokemon in Hammerlocke!” 

_“I have a duty to fulfill with the other gym leaders. Go on, save the day,” Raihan said._

_He pulled Leon in for one more kiss before he left, though._

“We’re going to end this, Lee,” he says to himself. He raises his hand to his lips where Leon had kissed him. “We’re both making it out of this alive, alright?”

* * *

It doesn't know where it is, when it is, it just knows it's angry. In a way, Leon almost pities it.

Almost.

Eternatus has taken too much from him already. To think that Eternatus will rob so much more from people around the world-- if its a choice between him or it, Leon will choose himself every time.

"Your reign of terror is over, Eternatus," Leon announces.

Eternatus doesn't even seem to regard him. It only makes his blood boil hotter. "I don't even matter to you, do I?" Leon shouts. "Of course not! How could you possibly keep track of all the lives you've ruined?"

The sky twists and churns, as if reflecting Eternatus's own state. The skyscraper-sized beast lets out a roar. Yet, oddly, it doesn't sound entirely just as if it’s enraged. It's as if it knows what it's doing and can't stop itself. When it finally turns to regard Leon, it's as if it's with...

Regret?

_Humanizing a thing like that will only get you hurt. Get Raihan hurt again._

"I'm going to put you out of your misery," Leon promises; the rage in his heart calms from a mighty bonfire to a single molten core. He raises his arm and releases a Pokeball. "Charizard."

Charizard takes to the skies with a burst of flame. It's practically a speck compared to Eternatus, but it's about strategy rather than brute strength.

"Fire Blast! Aim for the eyes!" Leon commands. Charizard rears back and blinds Eternatus in one of its eyes, but for its efforts it only narrowly dodges a concentrated beam of energy.

If this thing won't play fair, neither will he. Leon releases Haxorus and commands it to use Outrage to start hitting the dragon where it hurts. Fortunately, his gambit had paid off and partially blinding Eternatus serves to throw off its aim. Charizard keeps up its job of distracting it as it flies in spirals around Eternatus's oversized head.

"Does it hurt? It can't be a fraction as bad as what you did to me!" Leon snaps.

Eternatus gathers energy in its maw and halts. With its good eye, it seems to be studying Leon, and then it roars in pain as Haxorus cuts deep into its scales. It fires the blast of energy into the sky.

"I'm not letting you destroy what we worked so hard for! I'm not going to let you even have the chance to get near him!"

He releases a third Pokemon, Dragapult, and commands it to focus on attacking with Dragonbreath. The extra firepower hits Eternatus dead in the chest, but the beast begins using its size to its advantage. It knocks Charizard from the sky by thrashing wildly. Haxorus counters an attack with the blade on its head because it's too proud to retreat; a moment later, further thrashing from Eternatus knocks it hard to the ground.

The building quakes from the intensity of the battle. Charizard regains its footing and launches itself upward at Eternatus, shrouding itself in flames and slamming dead into Eternatus's other eye. Haxorus doubles on its efforts and leaps onto Eternatus, climbing it like a tower; as much as Eternatus tries to shake it off, Haxorus digs itself in with its claws and hacks at it with its blade.

"I haven't just been training to become the Champion. I felt that this day would come. I've been training to make you pay, Eternatus."

As his team chips away at Eternatus's health, the beast slows-- its movements are sluggish, its attacks halfhearted. A part of Leon almost thinks its trying to give up. As if it could atone so easily.

Pure vengeance won't solve this. If his team does slay Eternatus, it will just absorb more energy from the planet and begin its assault with renewed vigor. His Pokemon could only keep up their assault for so long. The best plan is to contain the monstrosity.

By the time Gloria and Hop reach the battlefield, Eternatus lays defeated. He holds them back, warns them that he's about to end this madness. He throws the Pokeball at the creature. It struggles to absorb the monster's heinous energy, but it does and falls to the ground.

A part of him wonders what to do with it. Any improper means of storage would give Eternatus the opportunity to escape or be stolen. It wouldn’t be safe to store it in a conventional PC system; who knew if the computer could even contain it. He had once considered dropping the Pokeball to the bottom of the sea, but it would likely just snap and free the enraged monstrosity.

Hop is cheering for him as if the day has been won. Leon holds out his arm.

The Pokeball shakes once.

Only once. 

Leon grabs Charizard's Pokeball and tries to hold steady as the explosion hits him.

* * *

The night sky flashes over Hammerlocke. The last rampaging Dynamax Pokemon halted in its tracks as if it had been struck by a phantom pain.

Raihan and his gym trainers looked to the sky. It was as if the eye of the storm had suddenly passed over them. A combined attack defeats the Dynamax Pokemon and returns it to normal.

Did he do it? Raihan wonders.

And then their hopes shatter as energy erupts from far away, a shockwave cascading over Galar. The black sky darkens another shade as if to reaffirm that the sun won't be returning.

“Hammerlocke is confirmed to be clear of Dynamax Pokemon, Raihan,” one of the gym trainers reports.

“All the citizens have been evacuated. We’re prepared for anything,” another adds.

_Lee..._

He glances at his city. Hammerlocke had already been safely evacuated. If another Pokemon goes Dynamax, his trainers can handle it. Buildings can be restored. Lives can't be.

Raihan had met with Hop and Gloria. He thought they could handle Chairman Rose while he defends his city. Now, he’s worried.

"I need to get to Eternatus." Raihan says. "Take care of Hammerlocke.”

“Yes, sir!”

He sprints as fast as he can to Leon. As he runs, a long-forgotten part of his soul stares at the sky. Dragons express their fear using rage. This 'Darkest Day' isn't an act of hatred, it's an act of panic.

If he's too late-- no, he won't even think it. But when the explosion happened, he could sense something wrong. Ever since he and Leon became friends and rivals during childhood, they've never had to live without one another. The concept that he might have to learn to makes Raihan feel hollow.

* * *

Raihan arrives to chaos. The Eternatus in his dream had been a giant, but the one before him now is so massive that he can no longer see the sky at all. Gloria and Hop are locked in battle, rusted sword and shield in hand, and two legendary Pokemon are helping them. He might just hop in the fray if he didn’t see Leon on the ground.

He runs to Leon’s side. “Lee!”

Leon doesn’t answer. His visible wounds are minimal, but it's the fact that Leon's not fighting that speaks volumes. Leon wouldn't just let anyone do his battling for him, even if they were legendary heroes. Raihan holds out a hand to help Leon up. He gets to his feet, gasping with pain, and supports himself on Raihan's shoulder.

"It's... nothing." Leon coughs, hard.

"You're going to need a doctor. I’m taking you out of here.” Raihan glances back. Gloria and Hop have Eternatus in a corner; Gloria reaches into her bag for a Poke Ball.

“We can’t leave them…”

“Leon, do you know why you’re a perfect champion?”

Leon regards Raihan blankly. Raihan elaborates. “It’s because you always think you’re the hero. You’ll throw yourself into danger as soon as you see it. You’ll risk your neck for even complete strangers. You act like you love it. But, you know what? You’ve been forced to be Champion since you were a kid. You won, and won, and won, and you kept going for Galar’s sake without thinking of what it does to you. You left home and never really came back.”

Raihan’s aware of how his words might hurt, be he can’t stop. “I’m not letting you take it to its logical conclusion. I’m not going to lose you. You don’t need to be Leon the Unbeatable Champion or Leon the Hero right now.”

At that moment, Gloria throws a Poke Ball. It shakes once.

Then twice. And then, Eternatus is captured.

A huge smile of relief washes over Raihan’s face. “They’ve got it covered.” 

Leon watches the sky in an exhausted haze as the darkness fades. The sun is hot on their skin. The world quiets as the rampaging Dynamax Pokemon calm themselves again. They're safe.

"I'm sorry," Leon mumbles.

"You should be," Raihan says. "I can't admonish you too much for trying to protect us all, but you're important to me-- to all of us. If anything had happened to you, it would be as if Galar were destroyed anyway."

He calls on his Flygon. It lowers its head down and allows Leon and Raihan onto its back. Leon manages to wrap his arms tight around Raihan's chest as Flygon takes off toward a hospital. He has few words; Raihan wouldn't be surprised if his boyfriend were drifting in and out of consciousness.

"But for what it's worth... thank you." Raihan's not sure if Leon's awake to hear his words, or if they'll be carried off by the wind. "Thank you for trying to protect me, and thank you for still being here with me."

* * *

Raihan sits with his hands folded by Leon's hospital bed. The EKG beeps in a steady rhythm. You would never know anything's wrong just by looking at him, but he's been asleep since he collapsed in Hammerlocke after fighting Eternatus.

It may have only been a day, but if there's one thing Raihan knows about Leon, it's that he's a light sleeper. He had always been one to cram in a few hours of rest at a Pokemon Center or a campsite before running off (usually in the wrong direction) to his next adventure. The doctor had promised to take a thorough look at Leon, but encouraged to let him rest.

So he did. The doctor didn't say that Raihan had to leave Leon's side, so he didn't. He likely wouldn't even if he was told to.

His phone has been chiming like crazy. Every news outlet in the world is reporting like crazy as the case develops. Chairman Rose had turned himself in, apparently, and the future of his company is yet unknown. The gym leaders had been praised for the swift evacuation of their cities. Eternatus remains in the hands of Gloria, who- being a child- isn't sure what her next move will be with the legendary creature in her possession. Raihan had received dozens of calls asking for his presence in Hammerlocke, or asking for interviews, but he declined. Eventually, he turned his phone off completely.

He's exhausted by the time the doctor returns. "Pardon me, Raihan?"

"Yes?"

The doctor offers a weary smile. "Leon will be fine. All his test results signal that he's in good health. He should be monitored closely in case anything changes; we aren't aware of what could have happened due to close contact with Eternatus. However, it's most likely he's suffering from exhaustion."

Raihan breathes a sigh of relief. "Of course he's exhausted. He's been through quite a bit. Thank you, doctor."

The doctor nods and leaves to help other patients. Raihan squeezes Leon's hand and smiles. "Did you hear that, Galar's #2 drama queen? You're going to be fine."

* * *

Several hours pass. Raihan has begun to doze off, succumbing to his own tiredness, when he hears a noise. Leon's broken into a cold sweat. He writhes in the hospital bed, whimpering under his breath.

Raihan kneels next to the hospital bed, gripping his hand. "Leon? Lee? I'm here."

He feels Leon squeeze his hand in return. His eyes remain closed, but the whimpering stops. He falls back asleep.

Secure, Raihan falls asleep as well.

He doesn't have any nightmares about Eternatus that night.

* * *

Raihan awakes to movement. Leon manages to sit up in his hospital bed. He glances from side to side, adjusting to his surroundings. 

When he notices Raihan still holding his hand, he holds their hands close to his heart. Leon dusts kisses on Raihan's fingers.

"Well, good morning, sleepyhead," Raihan says. "Feeling better?"

"Much," Leon says.

The differences are subtle, but Raihan knows Leon better than he probably knows himself. A certain joy has returned to his face; rather than constantly trying (and badly failing) to hide his worry, it's like he's ready to tackle his next challenge. His voice is bright and cheery.

Raihan pulls Leon in to kiss him properly. "I'm glad. We were all worried sick."

"'We'?" Leon teases. "What about you? How long have you been here?"

"How long do you think you were out?"

"I don't know... two or three hours?"

"Try two days."

Leon's face remains still as he processes this information. Raihan can almost hear the Rattata running in a wheel inside his big hollow skull. Finally, Leon gasps.

"I never fought Gloria for our championship match!" Leon says. He tries to sling himself out of bed, hospital gown riding generously up his thighs. "I need to get back out there!"

"Lee. Babe. Get back in bed." Raihan nearly has to shove Leon back onto the cot. "You're going to be properly discharged soon. The League was more than understanding of the 'extenuating circumstances' and your match is postponed until you're both ready."

It takes more coaxing, but his knucklehead boyfriend finally sits back down to rest. A nurse soon arrives to check Leon's vitals, and then they're eating a gourmet (read: subpar) hospital breakfast before leaving.

"Boyfriend is back selfie!" Raihan announces, holding up a peace sign. His Rotom Phone snaps a picture while Leon's biting into a slice of toast. "Boyfriend just helped save the world selfie!" And another picture while Leon's head is a blur as he glances over toward Raihan.

"Where are the photos of me unconscious in the hospital?" Leon asks, dryly.

"Didn't take any." Raihan plays it cool as he scrolls through his image gallery. "I didn't want to look away from you. If the worst somehow happened, I'd prefer to remember you by other photos."

"Aw, Rai--"

"Plus, I have enough photos of you making doofy faces in your sleep."

Leon's smile fades into a pout. Raihan bursts into laughter and takes another selfie.

It doesn't take long to catch Leon up on world events. Leon has to make several calls of his own to assure everyone of his health and schedule his battle against Gloria. Raihan takes the opportunity to thank his gym trainers for holding down the rest of Hammerlocke while Raihan went to take care of Leon, and then posts several updates on his social media.

The sun has risen by the time they're discharged from the hospital. The sky is an idyllic blue, fluffy white clouds floating by as if to complement Galar's rolling green hills. Raihan had known for sure that they would be able to stop the Darkest Day, but the event reminds him how grateful he is for sunlight. 

"Leon, there's just one thing that I haven't spoken with you about yet."

Leon frowns. "What's that?"

"While you were in the hospital, you were having nightmares again. You've been having them for a while," Raihan points out. "You knew that I was having them. Why all the secrecy? You usually wear your heart on your sleeve, especially with me."

Raihan's a firm believer in not beating around the bush. It's been weighing on his mind, and so he's going to ask. He had worried about putting too much pressure on Leon so soon after the second Darkest Day, but if his chatter about battle strategies against Gloria's team is any indication, he's in fine enough condition.

Leon chooses his words carefully. "As much as you remembered dying, I remembered losing you. I remembered failing to protect you. I remember feeling unworthy and without purpose. I swore that I would avenge you and stop Eternatus, but I couldn't even do that. That role fell to Zacian and Zamazenta. At first, I thought they were just dreams, and if I told you about them, you'd think I'm mad. But as they kept happening, I realized they were real."

He crosses his arms, staring to the side. "I couldn't help but feel like I would fail you again. It felt as if time were a loop and I was going to learn how to live without you again. I feared telling you about my failure and my cowardice. I thought if you knew that your nightmares weren't just nightmares... then it would be much harder to cope with them. I just wanted you to be happy."

"How was I supposed to be happy knowing you were suffering alone?" Raihan asks. "I always knew there was something off but it never could be discussed; you'd find any excuse to change the subject. It was like there was a wall between us."

"I'm sorry, Raihan. I failed you still, didn't I?"

"Yes, but not by not protecting me." Raihan rests his hands on Leon’s shoulders. "You didn't trust me. You didn’t trust me enough to talk to me, because… you were still being Leon the Unbeatable Champion. And I just wanted Leon, my boyfriend.”

Leon lowers his head. Raihan rests his chin atop it, continuing to speak in a soft voice. “When I stood against Eternatus… back then, I knew I was going to die. Still, if there was any chance it could work, I had to at least try. It was just afraid and desperate. You must have assumed that I was naive and you could have dragged me away. Yet, what if I didn't want to live running? So long as we couldn't live in harmony with Pokemon, we'd never have a home. In short: I had made my choice back then, Lee."

Raihan makes sure Leon's looking him in the eye. "It was selfish of me to try to calm Eternatus down anyway, knowing that you would have to live without me if- and when- I failed. In that respect, I owe you an apology. Still, knowing we get to be together again... and knowing that Eternatus is contained now. It's like everything worked out in the end."

He can feel Leon smile. "It did."

"Promise me that you'll trust me, Lee. From now on, no more secrets."

"On one condition. From now on, don't make the decision to gamble with your life- even for a just cause- without speaking to me-- and giving me more time to make a decision," Leon says. "I've thought it over many, many times. If I could go back... I wouldn't force you to run. I'd have stood by your side."

Raihan holds Leon close. The hug lasts for what feels like an eternity. Catching up on lost time, perhaps. All Raihan knows is that he never wants to let go.

* * *

From the stands, Raihan still senses tension when Leon chooses to Gigantamax his Charizard. The phenomena is caused by Eternatus's power, after all. When the transformation completes, Charizard still obeys him as always.

Gloria chooses her next Pokemon to fight Leon's ace. She reaches for the only Pokeball on her belt that she hasn't touched yet. Raihan spots Leon's muscles tense. Leon thinks it's going to be Eternatus, Raihan realizes.

"Go! Inteleon!"

The relief on Leon's face is palpable. Gloria chooses to Dynamax her starter. Raihan almost isn't sure who to cheer for. All he knows is that this battle is almost as hot as his last championship challenge against Leon.

* * *

In the end, Gloria wins even without using Eternatus in battle. Leon takes the loss with more grace than Raihan had anticipated. It must hurt, but at the same time, Raihan wonders if Leon feels freed.

After the celebration, there’s an adjustment period. Gloria will take her place as the new Champion of Galar and Leon will retire. For this process to happen, Leon spends several days working with her to advise her on the ins and outs of the job.

On one of the last days, Raihan wants to congratulate them both. He hears Leon speaking in his dressing room.

“There are things you should know as the new Champion,” Leon says. "Things that evolve Eternatus, too."

It’s not eavesdropping. Eavesdropping would mean its intentional. He just happened to be on his way to the Champion's dressing room, which Leon was vacating and Gloria was moving into, and he just happened to wait outside the door for them to finish their conversation first.

Gloria must have said something. Leon continues on. At first it's just general advice on publicity and a training schedule. Raihan holds back the urge to sigh. Boring, boring. Raihan's about to barge in before he hears his name.

"And about Eternatus. You may have captured it, but it might still be dangerous. It's not like other Pokemon," Leon warns. "You're the new Champ, so it's your discretion how to handle it. But there's one thing I need to make clear. Under no circumstances are you to bring Eternatus near Raihan. If you face Raihan in a future League match, you will **not** use Eternatus." 

Ever since the end of the Darkest Day's second coming, Raihan's nightmares had quieted. Now that the threat has passed, they haven't bothered him at all. Yet, every time Leon says 'Eternatus', a familiar spike of pain comes back.

By the time their conversation ends, Raihan can hear heavy footsteps walking toward the dressing room door. The correct one, even.

Raihan walks away and ducks his head down, which is no small feat for him. Leon's so focused that he doesn't even notice.

Well. That was easier to get away with than he thought. Perks of having a dumbass boyfriend. Time to pay the new Champ a visit, Raihan thinks.

He knocks on the dressing room door, but it's still ajar. Without a lot of Leon's stuff, it's surprisingly bare inside. Gloria looks almost out of place.

"Hey, thought I'd stop by and say congratulations!" Raihan leans in the doorway, giving a lopsided grin. "You did what we all dreamed of. 'Course, when you managed to beat me, I knew it was only a matter of time."

Gloria smiles kindly. "Thanks."

"Still a lady of few words, huh?" Raihan pretends to check his phone, preparing for the bomb he's about to drop. "I suppose that's fine when Leon does all that talking over you."

Her eyes widen with surprise. Raihan dismisses his Rotom phone. "I'm just going to cut to the chase. I want to see Eternatus."

"I'm not supposed to..."

"Look, I'll let you in on a little secret. Leon acts like he's a Charizard, but he's more of a Yamper," Raihan says. "He doesn't control you, and he doesn't control me, either."

"I haven't let Eternatus out yet."

For being like four feet tall, Gloria can stand her ground. Raihan nods. "I think you'll have to let it out eventually. It wouldn't be right to just let it suffer in there."

"It sounds like you really care about it." Gloria stares down at the Pokeball in her hands. "Most people weren't very happy with it after it caused another Darkest Day."

Raihan pauses. He's never exactly ‘met’ the legendary Eternatus (he only saw parts of the battle), but he feels drawn to the Pokeball she's holding. It's not as if he wants to meet a fascinating creature, but as if he wants to reconcile with an old friend.

"There's never been a dragon-type that I don't like," Raihan reasons, instead. "Plus, there's no bad Pokemon, just bad trainers. Chairman Rose is the one who took advantage of Eternatus."

Gloria stares at her reflection in the shine of the Pokeball. She shares his love for Pokemon; she couldn't have become the Champion if she didn't.

"Look, I understand," Raihan begins, with a sigh.

"It's not that I don't want to, it's just--"

"What's going on here?" Leon interrupts. Both Raihan and Gloria look at him as if they've been caught.

At the same time the three of them are speaking over each other, the Pokeball in Gloria's hands begins to quake as if something inside is straining to get out. Gloria clamps her hands over it as if to hold it shut, but it's like trying to hold a hot coal; she drops it to the ground, wincing in pain.

Raihan dives for it before it hits the ground. The ball begins shaking harder. Leon's yelling something at him, but as soon as Raihan has the ball in his hands, he takes off. Thank Arceus for his long legs, neither Leon nor Gloria can catch up to him.

He doesn't stop until he sees the Sun shining down in the arena. It's empty right now. Raihan can't stand the heat emanating from the Pokeball anymore and throws it into the air. Leon calls on Charizard and leaps onto its back as he flies into the air to try and catch it, but he's blown back as the Pokeball splits open in midair and releases a burst of energy.

A commanding aura takes control of the arena. The sky darkens. The three trainers are engulfed by the shadow of Eternatus.

Gloria sends out her Inteleon. It and Leon’s Charizard stand ready against Eternatus. Leon himself stands in front of Raihan, holding his arms out. "Know when you're beaten, Eternatus!" he yells. "I'm not letting you take him again!"

When Raihan looks up more closely, he can see the sunlight around Eternatus's outline like a halo. The sky hasn't actually gone dark with another Darkest Day; it's just that they're in the massive Pokemon's shadow. None of their Pokemon have gone mad with Dynamax energy, either.

"Don't attack it!" Raihan warns. "It's just getting its bearings! If you hit it first, it will be even more confused and upset!"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Raihan! Keep back!”

"Stop playing hero!” Raihan snaps. Leon flinches as if struck. "I think I know damn well enough about how to handle dragons, Leon!" Raihan's voice softens. "You’re not alone anymore. We're doing this together."

Raihan steps forward, in-between Eternatus and the two Pokemon. "Eternatus!"

The shout pierces through the sky and turns the dragon's attention toward the man. Even in the eye of the legendary beast, blocked from the view of the sun, he stands proud.

Eternatus lowers itself down to their level. It encompasses almost the entire arena. The sun, unblocked, shines on the trainers and their Pokemon again.

“You're safe now, Eternatus. You're here and alive, and so is the world. Let us take care of you," Raihan says. He's speaking partially on autopilot, the words flowing to him naturally. He feels like, if there were a breeze, his long hair- that he no longer has in this lifetime- would be fluttering behind him.

Raihan's words seem to reach Eternatus. It lowers its head and lets out a huff. It's about strength, Raihan thinks. Rather than slouching, he stands tall and doesn't look away.

He can hear a Pokemon being recalled into a Pokeball, then another one. Leon steps forward and takes his hand. Gloria takes his other one. He can't help but smirk. Leon reaches his shoulder and Gloria reaches his waist in height.

“Eternatus, can you understand me? You're not just a beast. You don't need to be afraid anymore."

In the dream, this is where Eternatus kills him-- kills the woman. Her husband- Leon\- would have been urging him to evacuate. But now he's here, right by his side.

And yet. Eternatus doesn't strike Raihan down. In fact, it doesn't move at all.

It's hesitating.

Raihan realizes what he needs to say. He gives the hands he's holding a squeeze before releasing them. He steps forward and Eternatus bows its head. Raihan places a hand on its snout.

"I forgive you."

The creature makes a strange noise. Raihan just chuckles. "Was that your idea of an apology? I'll take it."

A heavy sound comes from behind him. Leon's dropped to his knees.

"Raihan..." Leon only manages to choke out the name before years and years of trauma hit him all at once. He rubs his face on his sleeve to try and hide the tears.

After stroking Eternatus's head, Raihan turns his back to it as a sign of trust. Eternatus keeps its head lowered, watching carefully. Raihan walks gently over to his boyfriend and holds out a hand.

When Leon looks up, eyes wet, Raihan bonks him on the head.

"Ow!" Leon says. "What was that for?"

“Just had to, for how to you kept secrets," Raihan snorts. Then he squats down and wraps Leon in a tight bear hug. "And this is for still loving me, several lifetimes later. Thank you for finally standing by my side."

After a moment, Leon returns the embrace and lets out his tears on Raihan's shoulder. They're still alive. They're still together. And even if something were to tear them apart, they would find one another again.

* * *

The days pass. Calmly, but strangely, they pass.

The good news: Leon lets Raihan help him pick a new wardrobe. The bad news: he insists on wearing the same suit every day and won't stop carrying around that dorky hat. The worst news: Gloria has begun wearing her own version of Leon's former Champion outfit.

Raihan doubles down on his Pokemon training work. Through lifetimes, he's always loved Pokemon, especially ones that others tend to fear. Despite their potential to hurt him, their bond of trust with him means that they won't, and Raihan loves that. Someone else might have beaten Leon for the Championship, but that just means he has more goals now.

The first is to defeat Gloria and become the Champion, himself. He's not about to give up on that just because a kid beat Leon first!

The second is to train in the Battle Tower and defeat Leon. Some things never change, after all.

Gloria often shows up to the Hammerlocke Gym to train with him. It gives him a better understanding of her strategy and how to beat it, and she likely thinks the same about him. The real reason for the visits, though, is so Eternatus can see Raihan again.

Eternatus is Gloria's Pokemon and Raihan would never steal it away, but he still feels a special connection to it. The massive Pokemon has begun to test its strength in battles without going overboard, and Raihan's more than happy to serve as its opponent.

After Gloria defeated Leon and he finished helping transition the League from the old Champion to the new one, he visited home. Raihan had been there with him when Leon had introduced his boyfriend to the family. It practically was a shrine to Leon. Raihan could imagine how it both boosted his confidence and hurt him. Only being seen as the Unbeatable Champion would have to put a strain on him, and especially on Hop. Raihan didn't accompany him home that time, but he can imagine it was an emotional time.

Since then, Leon had been somewhat lost- moreso than usual- as if searching for a new purpose. The Battle Tower served its purpose in taking up his time and energy, helping him further his goal of strengthening the trainers of the Galar Region, but he still had a lot of soul searching to do. On one night, he returned home from the Battle Tower and found Raihan sitting down on the couch. He laid down and rested his head on his boyfriend's lap.

Raihan runs his hand through Leon's hair. As he quietly curls the purple locks around his fingers, he can't help but let the words escape from his lips.

"How long have you known?"

Leon's eyes, which he had closed, open wide.

"A while. Since we met, I think," Leon says.

"As kids?"

"I mean, when we both picked Charmander, that was a sign."

Raihan laughs. "You're the Charizard guy now. Not me."

"What about yours?"

"She's fine. Just felt redundant to battle with her against you. People thought I was stealing your style." Raihan shrugs. "So, you're saying you knew that you had past lives since you were like 10?"

"What?" Leon asks. "I thought we were talking about when I knew I loved you."

Raihan can't help but laugh, warmth spreading through his chest. "Gay."

"You're gay," Leon counters.

"Can't argue with that."

Leon looks up at his boyfriend. "Really, though, that's when I fell in love with you. But for how long I've loved you? It's been much, much longer."

"Since the original Darkest Day?"

"That's the first I can remember, at least." Leon intertwines his fingers. "Maybe even before that."

A comfortable silence falls between them. Raihan feels guilty to break it. "What happened after I died?"

Leon frowns. "I... lashed out against Eternatus. The others had to drag me away kicking and screaming. I don't remember much after that; I was full of so much grief." He takes a moment before continuing. "When the heroes- I mean, Zacian and Zamazenta- defeated Eternatus, I went back to our home and I put you to rest."

A chill runs down Raihan's spine. His boyfriend had to bury him. He had to live without him.

"I'm sorry, still." Raihan frowns. "I put you through all that."

"If you could go back to that life, would you change anything?" Leon asks.

He considers it. "Honestly? I wouldn't."

"I figured." Leon gives a sad smile. "I wouldn't know who you are otherwise."

"But, truly, I am sorry. I never wanted you to have to suffer." Raihan looks Leon in the eye. "I know you explained your reasons, but I can’t stop thinking about how you could have told me sooner."

He shrugs. "I partially wanted to lead you to remember on your own. I thought I would just sound crazy if I tried to tell you outright."

"You're stupid, Lee."

Leon's breath hitches. Raihan adds, "just because you had no choice but to suffer alone in the past doesn't mean you had to in this lifetime. I’m here now. Don’t act as if I’m gone before anything actually happens.”

Leon reaches out and squeezes Raihan's hand. "We’re together now. No more secrets.”

"Good. No more."

* * *

It's raining.

"Guess we'll need to postpone our plans," Leon says with a frown.

"What? You think a little weather's going to stop me?" Raihan laughs. "Come on, Turtonator! Sunny Day!"

The clouds part and the Sun shines down. Raihan dusts off the picnic table and sits down, beckoning Leon over.

Leon does walk over and sit down, albeit with a little bit of protest. "It's still damp."

"What? You can't win them all." Raihan shrugs. He opens up the picnic basket and spreads out the tablecloth.

A year has passed since the scare with Eternatus. With knowledge of their past lives, Leon and Raihan have only gotten closer. Gloria's adapted to her Champion role. Although Leon's still working in the Battle Tower, he's still acted a bit confused about his purpose.

They eat together in an amiable silence. Raihan lets his Rotom Phone capture a few photos of the occasion, but otherwise they reserve it for the two of them.

By the time they finish, Raihan stretches out. "I'm pretty much stuffed. I could go for dessert, though."

"Dessert, huh?" Leon raises his brows, a smile creeping onto his face.

Raihan leans in. "That's right," he whispers. He holds up a Pokeball. "A battle."

Both of them laugh. After cleaning up, they take their sides of the arena.

"Charizard!"

"Flygon!"

Raihan loves spending time together with his boyfriend, but when they're in battle, they're connected on a level unlike any other. The battle ends with his Duraludon finally knocking out his Rhyperior, Leon's last Pokemon.

"Well, well," Leon says. He recalls his Rhyperior. "I guess you finally beat me."

"I'm the new Champion!" Raihan teases. He takes Leon's cap and puts it on, taking a selfie with it. "What do you think? Is this a good look for me?"

"Yeah, you're just missing the clown makeup," Leon says. "Gloria's still the Champ, you know."

"No way!" Raihan gasps in faux-surprise. "I never could have known!" He shakes his head. "This isn't about her. This is about you."

"Now that you've finally won against me, you're bored of me?" Leon asks. His tone is still half-joking, but Raihan senses insecurity behind it.

Raihan shakes his head. "Nah. Now I'm finally worthy of doing this."

He reaches into his pocket and withdraws a Love Ball. He rears back as if about to toss it at Leon's head. Leon flinches. When Leon looks again, Raihan's down on one knee. Inside the Love Ball is a cushion holding a ring.

"Leon, I've loved you for over three thousand years," Raihan begins. "I know you're confused about your place right now, but I want to help you find it. I want you to know you'll always have a place you belong, by my side. I've made you wait long enough for me. And we were married back then, right? So..." He coughs. He's not used to feeling flustered! He wrote all this out, but the words are slipping. "I want to protect you, too. I love you, Leon. Will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"

Leon covers his mouth with both hands. The silence worries Raihan. Then, he reaches into his pocket.

He withdraws a Master Ball. Leon gets down onto one knee and opens it up. There's a ring inside the Master Ball as well.

"You stole my bloody idea," Leon says, with love and tenderness. "First you beat me in battle then you steal my idea."

"Yeah? Well, you stole my heart," Raihan says, winking.

"Shut up and kiss me."

"Is that a yes?"

Raihan's grinning widely when Leon grabs the back of his head and pulls him in for a passionate kiss. Their hands find their way to the others' naturally as they exchange their rings. When they part for air, they're engaged.

"Eternatus as flower girl?" Raihan asks.

"Now you're pushing it."

"Aw, come on.” 

The rain around them gets worse, but the two of them don't notice in their little halo of sunlight. Both of them are laughing and holding each other close, foreheads pressed together, fingers intertwined.


End file.
